Upping the Auntie

I've been promoted as an aunt.  Jessica and Janna had another baby over a month ago.  I'm a little overdue for blogging about the big event.  Oops.

This time was extra special for me because I got to be there in the room as Carson James entered the world.  You see, back in April, Janna had to have surgery on her back...twice.  And recovery wasn't going so hot at first.  Add to that her regular surgical restrictions of no lifting, no bending, no twisting, no driving...well, they were nervous she wouldn't be able to be much of a labor coach.  Enter: Kwiti.  I volunteered to help as they wanted and promised to not be annoying. 

But then Jessica didn't have the baby early.  And Janna started getting much much better.  And then Jessica still didn't go into labor.  So it seemed like when the time came, Janna would be able to function just fine as a labor coach and maybe they'd just need a little help holding up a leg when it was time for Jess to push.  My mom's job was going to be to stay with Caise up at Jessica and Janna's house and our plan was revised to me planning to meet up with the J's towards the end of labor to help out with the pushing stuff.

Their due date came and went.  Jessica was already on maternity leave from school and they were trying everything that worked with Caise and anything else they'd heard might work to bring on labor: walking, stairs, spicy food, pineapple, bouncing on an exercise ball, short stretches with the breast pump, eggplant parmesan.... You name it, they tried it.

With Caise, Jessica's water broke the night she was 3 days overdue, then the contractions came, then Caise came the next day.  With this baby, she kept having lots and lots of contractions but had a hard time trying to decide, "Is this it???? Is it time??"  So, on the day of Monday, May 21st, she was 4 days overdue and it sounds like they'd been out trying a bunch more walking and perhaps her water broke a bit. She reported some "show" after their walk as well but still wasn't entirely convinced they should head to the hospital.  It was a school day so Moosie was teaching and after her day was over she was going to head up to their house to stay with Caise so Jessica and Janna could head down to L&D to get checked out.

Finally a bit after 5 p.m. I got a text saying they were on their way and a little after 6:00 she reported they were in triage.  She reported they hadn't checked her cervix but the baby looked good on the monitor and she was [painfully] contracting away.  Closer to 7:30 she texted that the fluid leaking after their walking was indeed amniotic fluid...but it took 3 tests to figure that out and they still hadn't checked her cervix but that "it looked pretty closed" when they were in there with the speculum checking for fluid.  She was still in triage.  Sometime around 9, I'd say, I was settling in to watch The Bachelorette with Jason when I talked to Jessica on the phone.  She already had an epidural and I forget how dilated she said she was but I said, "I'm on my way!" and got ready to leave pretty quickly.

In the car I called Janna to ask if she'd eaten dinner and if I could bring her something, I was taking sandwich orders from her when I heard my phone signal that I'd just gotten a text.  I ignored it as I was already on the phone with Janna and trying to merge onto the highway.  It was 9:32 p.m.  I hung up with Janna and looked at the text.  It was from Jessica saying, "10!!!"  What?!?!  I was on the phone with Janna but apparently the two of them weren't communicating that part at the time!  Screw the sandwich!  I headed straight for downtown so nervous I wouldn't make it.  Suddenly things were moving so very fast!

I called my mom on the way downtown to distract me from the fact that I had a bit of a drive and there was nothing I could do about it but then I got a little turned around and had to hang up so I could use my phone to look at a map.  I rushed into the hospital and rushed upstairs.  She was in the exact same room that Caise was born in!  I told the desk I was there for her and they were like, "No, you can't go in, she's pushing..." and I was like, "I KNOW!  I'm supposed to be in there for that!!!" so they let me go.  I walked in and could already see hair on the baby's head!  Janna looked like she was doing just fine with the leg she had but she had me take her spot anyway.  Jessica was a champion pusher.  I was impressed!  I was trying to be unobtrusive and not make them regret that they'd let me be in the room for the birth so I just tried to stay quiet and let them count out her pushes and what not but I remember I tried to say some encouraging things just because she really was doing so darn well.  I was in place for all of maybe 2 contractions before baby's head was coming out.  But Jessica had her eyes closed tight doing her pushing as best she could and no one was telling her what was up.  I remember my own births with the curtain being up so I can't see my cut open belly but I appreciated when someone would let me know..."the head is out" and no one was saying that sort of thing to Jessica.  So I was all, "The head is out, now it's the shoulders..." and then, "Look down! Look down!" so she'd make sure to see her little one sliding into the world for herself.  To be able to witness the moment when the baby is still a part of you, parts of it are still in your body and then miraculously you're two separate beings all of a sudden after 9 months of being one.  That moment.  10:03 for Carson. It gets me every time.  And I've seen bunches of births. 

Janna leaned over for a closer look and then announced, "It's a boy!" and I tried to back up out of the way and not be all annoying but eventually volunteered to take some pictures.  Most of the early ones I took were on Jessica's phone but then I took my own camera out...


Jessica got to hold him a good long time. I think it was a little hard for her to see his face but she sure got some nice snuggles. They didn't take him away for weighing or warming or inspecting or anything for a nice long while.  It distracted her from the delivery of the placenta and the stitches she needed.  I remember she'd asked to see the placenta.  Such an amazing organ that your body suddenly grows to do the job and then doesn't need anymore.  Amazing, but gross according to Jessica's face:
 

At that point, Janna's mom surprised everyone by walking into the room. They hadn't yet sent any, "He's here!" texts or calls and Janna was like, "How did you know???" but Judie gathered from talking to Janna earlier that it would be soon so she came on down. And was very excited to hear about her newest grandson:


Like Gramoo, Judie now has 4 grandsons and just 1 grandaughter...but Judie will be getting grandaughter #2 this fall and Gramoo will not.  Suddenly it was time to make sure Gramoo knew too so Jessica gave her a call:


I ran downstairs to get Janna some food and brought it back up. Then they brought in a voucher for the cafeteria for Jessica. Because it was so late, the room service they'd normally have wasn't going to come till morning. So I headed down to get some food for Jessica as well. You know what she wanted? Coke. And Fritos. Ha! I also brought a fruit cup but was like, "Seriously??? That's it?" Whatevs.
 
While I was off doing food things, Carson began nursing. Really well. A champ from the start. When they finally unlatched him to check him out he made this little face:


And then they took him over to the warmer to check out that all his parts were where they should be and nothing was there that shouldn't. And he got his shots and eye meds.


And weighed.


He was 8 pounds exactly. Caise was 8 pounds 4 ounces, if you were wondering.

Then they gave him his little sponge bath. No babies ever like that part.


And then they put an end to the innocence of wearing nothing but your birthday suit and he got his first little diaper:


He got his little hairs washed:


And finally Janna got a chance to hold her new little boy:


See her back brace thingie? But luckily at just 8 pounds, Carson was under the 10 pound lifting limit. :)


Caise had no idea he'd become a big brother while he was sleeping. He's the only one missing from this family portrait:


I got to hold my new Neph2 for a bit but the pictures are on Jessica's phone. I hung out until they moved Jessica over to her postpartum room. They had a really heavy bag that Janna shouldn't have carried in in the first place so they had Jessica hold Carson and I held the bag:


I helped them get a bit settled:


And then I took off for home. I was able to get a decent night's sleep once I calmed down. I was still excited so I didn't head to bed right away.

After school the next day I took the kids down to meet their newest little cousin. Dalton was surprised to hear it was a boy. He thought it would be a girl. And, Autumn kept forgetting his name and would call him "Cart"...but she got it eventually. :)



So excited!




She'd never held a baby before:


Aunt Kwiti's turn again!


The little going home outfits they had on hand. Awwww.


And then we had to leave because Easton was being insanely hyper and probably disturbing all the tired new parents on the whole floor. Rascal. Poor Dalton didn't want to leave. He loves babies. Good thing we've got another one in the family! 

Welcome to the world, Baby Carson!  We're glad you're here!